Operatives from the Nigeria Police Force’s Zone 2 Command apprehended a lady whose identity was not given, as well as an accomplice, for allegedly trafficking young girls to Mauritania as commercial sex workers in exchange for N50,000.
Umma Ayuba, the Zonal Public Relations Officer, said in a statement on Tuesday that the suspects were apprehended on March 22 at their hideout in the Meiran area of Lagos State.
She revealed that the syndicate conspired with other collaborators in Mauritania to traffic young women as commercial sex workers.
According to Ayuba, the suspects confessed to the crime after being arrested and interrogated.
Ayuba stated, “Operatives of the Zonal Intelligence Response Squad led by SP Francis Kpoughul stormed their base where two suspects were apprehended.
“The first suspect said she was introduced to a woman based in Mauritania by another woman, who has been prosecuted for the same offense and is currently serving a jail term.”
The police added that the first suspect confessed that she received a sum of N50,000 for each person, and among her victims was her 19-year-old daughter.
“She said the woman in Mauritania contracted her to recruit young girls below the age of 22 to be used as sex workers there.
“She added that she received N50,000 as a commission for each girl sent to Mauritania.
“She confessed that, among the girls she recruited, was her 19-year-old daughter. She also admitted to receiving over N500,000 from the woman in Mauritania.”
The second suspect was alleged to have revealed that she was hired by the first suspect to recruit girls as domestic workers in Mauritania, but when she sent one victim to the first suspect, she turned it down.
The second suspect informed the authorities that she grew suspicious after the victim she sent to the first suspect was refused, and that upon more investigation, she discovered that the victims were to be utilized as sex workers.
The police PRO continued. “She said that, upon further questioning, she discovered the girls were to be used as sex workers and decided to withdraw from the business.
“She added that the only girl she sent to the first suspect was rejected due to her age and body size. That was when she realized something was wrong.”
According to the police, the suspects would be charged in court upon the conclusion of an ongoing investigation.
